Malaysia melengang, peluangnya berenggang

A digression here. It's suppose to be my SEP blog, but oh well. An article that is quite well written indeed. Now, I hope more people will come out to speak up about our country. It's about time we do something, you think? The irony is, it's not a local who wrote it. However, I'm still glad someone did. I hope this gets the ball rolling into something progressive and constructive. Looking at the state we are in now, if all those who have left the country, the good ones, the mediocre ones, the creative ones, were to return and run it, I think, we would have been one heck of a good country. It's never that easy when no one acknowledges the faults and the failures. No one speaks loud enough. We all seem to have that fear still don't we?

http://www.michaelbackman.com/

Rememberence Day (11/11/06)

remembering the fallen

honouring the present

They say Brussels is having schizophrenia. I think Brussels is just young. She represents the young ones today, all confused and mixed up, interesting and energetic, and brimmed with ideas.

My trip to Brussels was greated with these. Some displayed truly high artistic talent.It started with a workshop. Everything else follows after. Never have I met such a diverse group of characters, passionate about their city and work.
The Palace of Justice, a building of controversy but I like its huge interior

Misplaced furniture?
at the flea market

A tool for generating ideas?


True to its character, the comic strips city.

A ghost town in the city. An empty administrative building
My favourite blue man

The Man of my dreams
I grew up with Tintin and Asterix.

my 2 favourite animals! Seems to be a post of my favouritesa bunch of restless people hanging out at the skating park

A silver weekend

The sphere that dots the landscape outside the Winter Gardens

The sphere that left dots on my knees on Saturday (knee pads resting in Singapore)

Went for Nottingham Games on Saturday to play vball. Had good fun playing with them here. It's always fun playing with a new team and trying to adapt to their strategies but it takes time to play as a team. They're all good players, but I think I kind of miss my vball mates back in nus. Somehow, I've became familiar with team mates speaking Chinese on court, but here, it's just like it was at home, English speaking =) . Nothing beats the familiarity of home.

Princess of Wales?? just a thought.

Driving through Wales is a very different experience. You feel like you're in a different place partly due to the signages and landscape. It's all very... Welsh. Words that seem to make no sense because they're full of consonants, makes it so difficult on the tongue. The steep mountains and vast seas are simply captivating. The Irish sea and beyond
Overlooking Prestatyn

Caenarfon Castle, where Prince Charles was invested.
Even seagulls have paparazi problemsNature will never cease to be my favourite subject Heading towards Snowdonia National Park, Wales

Snowdonia, in the fog

I simply love da moon

Of bonfires and diamonds

Happy Bonfire Night!

Too bad I didn't manage to stay for the fireworks at Caernarfon Castle,Wales. It would've been spectacular. The compensation was that I saw at least 10 or more on the way home. All the reason to celebrate something quite pagan I think. Well, when it comes to fireworks, guess we need no reason to play!

the moon so bright

It's full moon now. Lots of diamonds in the sky. Could even spot Ursa Major and the North Star! I've never seen such a dark sky with bright gleaming stars since I left home to study down south in the city. In fact, it's darker here, so you can really tell the difference between a moon-lit place and the orange skies of the city.

Live Project-Over!

Live project panels... there are 6 other A0 panels that are not visible from this angle. A closure to the Italy chapter. Voila! The tower in an hour. Teamed up with Ross.
Playing with pasta at the workshop. Glad it's all over. Getting psyched up for Brussels. This guy from Athens has one weird sense of humour. He makes comments that are so hilarious but he says it with a matter-of-fact look that you want to burst out laughing but you can't. Views from the 17th Floor of the Arts Tower. It's frosty today. When I get bored at lectures, I simple stare out.

The well in the Masters studio. 5th and 6th years stay above, 3rd years are below. Great way to interact between students. Can't we do that in NUS?

The carousel, Florence

The carousel reminds me of happy things. Of childhood memories. Not that the carousel is a familiar object that is placed on the streets in Penang, it's usually in theme parks or places that you need to pay to enter. I saw one or two happy adults riding away on the plastic ponies. Story books and Mary Poppins filled my mind quickly the minute I saw this. There's something just so magical about spinning lights, prancing horses and the music.

Bongiorno, Firenze!

In the duomoHere he is, the genius Brunelleschi, erected facing his masterpiece
Walking up a narrow stairway, up to the cupola. It was a feat!
The Medici Chapel. It's absolutely extravagant inside. Saw Michelangelo's Dawn and Dusk/Night and Day statues
Ponte Vecchio... looks like a storybook place
Outside the Uffizi. I really love this plazza
Night view of the plaza. All the beautiful sculptures...

When in Italy, never ever miss the cappucino. It's a crime

On a long walk up and down on the other side of the river

The Duomo dominating the skyline, the tallest building in Florence

A replica of the statue of David, at Plazza Michelangelo

Night, at Plazza Santa Croche

A fountain at another amazing Plaza, with all the columns facing the square done by Brunelleschi

The SynagogueSanta Croche Cathedral